Honors students Lexi Benakovich and Selena Webb started a petition for the addition of more fruits and vegetables to Ball State’s dining halls. Within four hours, the petition broke Ball State’s record for the most signatures on a petition.

​Benakovich is a freshman business administration and finance major, and is also the Student Action Team representative on DeHority’s hall council (Residents of DeHority). Benakovich said she first had the idea when Student Government Association representative Jake Peterson said they were looking for ideas to start off the year."I like to eat healthy, and I know a lot of my friends like to too, so I was just thinking maybe we could get more fruits and vegetables," Benakovich said.

Benakovich said she took the idea to her roommate Selena Webb, a freshman telecommunications and design technology major, and the two of them wrote the petition together that night.

“We have discussed a lot how I really like fresh fruits, and I don't really have the option,” Webb said. “I always ate fruit and vegetables before I came here, and I felt like when I got here it was limited.”

According to Benakovich, the record for the most signatures on a petition at Ball State was formerly 328 signatures. Benakovich and Webb now have nearly 700.Benakovich says that she knows Ball State dining offers fruits and vegetables, but she would like to see more.

"Maybe strawberries, blueberries...maybe have like a fruit bar like they have salad bars. If someone just wanted to get like a cucumber or a pepper, because I know a lot of people eat those for like snacks. But like the fresh ones, so they aren't pre-packaged," Benakovich said.

Webb also says the petition focuses on more fresh fruit.

"It would be nice to have fresh fruit that I know hasn't had syrup on it and things like that," Webb said.

Emma Rund, a freshman theater studies major who signed the petition, says that Ball State dining should offer more fruits and vegetables “that the general public will eat.”

“I signed [the petition] because the fruits available on campus are fruits I would not usually eat. I want strawberries and blueberries, not starfruit. Why would you sell starfruit, but not sell basic berries?” Rund said.

In order to write a bill for Student Government Association, the petition needed 50 signatures. Although the petition has far surpassed this number, Benakovich says that it needs at least 1,000 to be noticed by the university’s administration. She says her own personal goal for the petition is 2,000 signatures.

"[Nearly 700] signatures is a lot of signatures and it's awesome, but for a campus of 20,000 it would really be looked at if we could break a couple thousand," Benakovich said.

Peterson, a sophomore business administration major, serves as the on-campus chairman for student government, and has represented DeHority for two years. He says that he told Benakovich and Webb that if they got 50 signatures, he would write a bill to be presented at student Senate.

"I've never seen this much passion behind a bill on the student side," Peterson said. "We've tapped into something that is pretty predominant in the student community...and that warrants attention."

The bill was stopped at SGA’s Agenda Committee, but knowing that legislation is hard to implement by the end of the semester if it not passed by spring break, Peterson got the bill on the floor. Although it did not pass, Peterson says he scheduled a meeting with Interim Director of Dining Karen Adkins to voice his ideas.

'We're not revolting against dining, we're not saying dining is terrible. We love dining and think it has a lot of great options, but there is a community on campus that would like to see more healthy options," Peterson said.

Peterson said there are many steps involved in the process of implementing policies on Ball State’s campus, including getting through Student Senate and University Senate.

Peterson said that more than likely, the bill will go to the agenda committee of the University Senate, and they can choose what happens next.

“Nine times out of ten, they send it back or just veto it. A lot of times, if it’s a great bill, they’ll take it and they’ll give it to a committee that is skilled in that area,” Peterson said.

Peterson says he is excited about going back to good government.

"In this day in age, government isn't looked upon nicely, but here is a good example of students coming to government for help," Peterson said.

Peterson says that he remains optimistic, and that [Peterson, Benakovich, and Webb] are not stopping yet.

"There is a demand on campus, and we've proven it with the petition, that students want this. And it's not just a couple students or a crazy senator with nothing to do, it's 678 students that really feel passionate enough that they will sign their name to something. It's huge," Peterson said.

The link to the petition has been shared primarily through social media, mainly on Facebook and in GroupMe. Benakovich says she also advertised on the whiteboard in the Honors House classroom.

"The more people share on Facebook the more people see it, it is an issue on campus,” Benakovich said. “The more people that see it, it gives them a voice, and that's really special.”

DeHority serves as the campus’s primary Honors Living-Learning Community (LLC), but only two of DeHority’s 14 Residence Assistants (RAs) are Honors Students themselves.

This could be because of Housing and Residence Life’s preference that RAs not be placed in the last hall they lived in; however, according to the Associate Director of Housing and Residence Life, Cathy Bickel, this is not policy, nor does it always happen.

Still, Junior Accounting major Will Leonard, one of the two Honors RAs in DeHority, is not an exception to this preference, as he was not an Honors student when he first applied to become an RA.

Leonard began interviewing for an RA position in February of his freshman year. In the same month he applied for, and was accepted into, the Honors program. The next month he was offered a position as an RA. He does not believe that his acceptance into the Honors program affected his placement at all.

“Honestly I don’t know if the (Hall) Directors were aware of me entering the Honors program,” Leonard said.

One of Leonard’s residents, sophomore telecommunications major Morgan Fuller, who had a non-Honors RA last year, said that her RA being an Honors student doesn’t really matter to her, and that she hasn’t noticed any difference other than personality.

“The whole point of being an RA isn’t to be smart, it’s to be here for your residence. All that matters is if you have the right personality to connect with residents, and making residents feel comfortable and safe,” Fuller said.

Bickel and Leonard both agree that RA placement is affected more heavily by elements other than academics.

“Other factors for RA placement are where the RA wants to be placed, how many new and returning RAs will be on a particular staff and how much balance we need, the type of student they feel they can be most effective with – predominantly freshmen, upper class, a particular major, etc.,” Bickel said.

According to Bickel, Honors RAs just need to be strong academic role models - it doesn’t matter if they are in the Honors program or not.

However, one of DeHority’s non-Honors RAs, senior journalism graphics major Mary Beth Sargent, says that there have been a few instances where she feels she could have better assisted a resident had she been an Honors student.

“Sometimes I’ll have a resident ask me about certain classes or if a professor is good or not, and I have to tell them I have no clue,” Sargent said. “I usually send them to Will.”

In cases like this, RAs and residents can also turn to DeHority’s Academic Peer Mentor (APM), junior marketing Katelyn Warner. Warner’s job is to connect students with the Learning Center and other academic resources on campus.

“RAs are more focused on the emotional and social aspects and I focus on academics,” Warner said. “All of those aspects have to be in balance to be a successful college student.”

Honors or not, RA or APM, Leonard, Sargent and Warner all said they have learned a lot working so closely with Honors students.

“They challenge you,” Leonard said.“It’s nice to be around students who really care about being here,” Sargent said. “It’s given me a different appreciation for academics.”

Every year, the Ball State Honors College sponsors a group of students who want to attend the Butler Undergraduate Research Conference in Indianapolis, Indiana.

This year, the conference will take place on April 8. It will be the 28th annual conference.

Dr. Barb Stedman, Director of National and International Scholarships and Honors Fellow, has attended almost every conference since she began working at Ball State in 1993. Stedman said the Honors College takes about 12 Honors students each year. Stedman also noted that many Honors students attend with other departments within Ball State.

“Ball State as a whole has a tremendous representation [at the conference].” Stedman said.

The Honors College reimburses students who attend for the $50 fee, which includes breakfast, lunch, and a t-shirt from the event. According to Coralee Young, Secretary to the Dean, the funds come from donations from alumni and other donors to the Ball State University Foundation, which helps to assist student travel and other ways of developing Honors students outside of the classroom.The Honors College also offers transportation: a van driven by Stedman herself.

Stedman says that she highly recommends students attend the conference.

“[The conference] is a really low-pressure opportunity to get your feet wet in the world of academic presentations.” Stedman said.

Christina Thibodeau, a sophomore international development and relations major in the Honors College, took advantage of the opportunity and attended the Butler Undergraduate Research Conference last spring. Thibodeau was doing an independent study at the time, and was encouraged to present her research by Stedman.

“[I] was meeting with Dr. Stedman about a scholarship and was in one of her classes, and she was like, you should do this! So, she was really the one who pushed me to do it,” Thibodeau said.

Thibodeau presented in the international relations category, and noted that she got to observe many other presentations as well.

“In my independent study, I researched the Islamic State’s propaganda in depth, especially the use of social media.” Thibodeau said.

Thibodeau rode with Stedman to the conference, along with three other students, and she says that she got to meet other Honors students, listen to their presentations, and even watch a senior presenting on her thesis. Thibodeau said that she probably would not have gone to the conference without the sponsorship of the Honors College.

“I’m a college kid! I don’t have a lot of money and things like that, and it does cost a little bit of money to go, and I probably wouldn’t have decided to do it because of that, even though it does look really good on a resume.”

At the Butler Undergraduate Research Conference, students have the opportunity to present their research with both monetary and moral support from the Honors College.

Masks, glamour, tuxes, fancy dresses, and class are what is usually seen during the Met Gala-a grand annual event in which celebrities gather to celebrate the opening of the Costume Institute of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. Extravagant events like the Met Gala and Hollywood’s film industry are what inspired the Student Honors Council with the theme for this year’s formal.

Guests at the dance will be treated to sparkling non-alcoholic beverages, punch, a chocolate fountain, fresh popcorn, and Hors d’oeuvres, as a means to portray a high-class party in Hollywood. Attendees will also be able to take pictures via a Hollywood-themed photo booth, participate in movie trivia, and enter in a raffle to win movie baskets. There will, as with any formal, also be music for dancing.

The SHC officers believe one of the qualities of this formal that will make the night truly memorable and more successful than the SHC formals of the past is its extravagant aura.

“I think the theme is very fun and will lead to a greater turn-out than last year,” said Nick Marchio, a sophomore and SHC’s Director of Print Promotions.

SHC’s president, Valerie Weingart said, “This year there’s definitely more of an emphasis on ‘formal’ [compared to the formals of the past.] We’re going for more of a fancier…just a classier vibe, just by virtue of the theme we’ve chosen….It’s a little bit more ‘over the top,’ a little bit more than just your [an average] college or social formal.”

Two individuals that are planning to attend the dance, sisters Eve and Autumn Miller, are looking forward to the theme and stepping onto “Hollywood’s Walk of Fame.”

Eve, a freshman studying architecture, said that she’s excited for a new experience.

“I love that the dance is a masquerade because I like the theme, but I’ve never been able to go to one [a masquerade],” Eve said.

Autumn, a sophomore majoring in biology with a zoology concentration, was attracted to the theme for a different reason. “I really like that the theme is Hollywood because I really appreciate the art form and enjoy older movies,” Autumn said.

SHC members say that they expect 100-200 guests at the dance. Honors students are encouraged to bring their friends regardless of whether or not they are Honors College or even Ball State students. Masks are also not required. Tickets are $7 per person if they are purchased before the dance from the front desks of DeHority Complex, Honors House, or Park Hall. Tickets are $10 per person at the door. Guests will receive extra raffle submissions if they bring non-perishable food items to the dance to donate to food banks.

Weingart encouraged those that are debating whether or not to attend to take a chance while also touting about the dance’s chocolate fountain.